Machine for hulling corn



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

' J. RITTY. MACHINE FOR HULLING CORN.

No. 464,764. Patented Dec; 8, 1891.-

(No Model.)

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.-

J. RITTY. MAGHINE FOR HULLING' 001m.

No. 464,764. P444464 Dec 8, 1891.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN RITTY, on DAYTON, OHIO.

MACHINE FOR HULLING CORN.

SPECTFIGATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 464,764, dated becember8, 1891.

' Application filed August 15, 1891. Serial No. 402,699. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOHN RITTY, a citizen of the United States, residingat Dayton, in the county of Montgomery and State of Ohio, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Machines for Hulling Green Corn,of which the following is a full, clear,

and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings,forming a part of this specification.

My invention relates to that class of greencorn hullers described in myprior patent of January 8, 1889, No. 395,997,'and is an improvement inthe construction of said machine whereby it is simplified and renderedmore efficient.

The novelty of my invention will be hereinafter set forth, andspecifically pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1, Sheet 1, is a plan view of acorn-huller embodying my invention. Fig. 2, Sheet 2, is a frontelevation, partly in section, of the righthaud end of Fig. 1, with theknife-carrying guide-jaws removed. Fig. 3,Shet 2, isa rear elevation ofFig. 2. Fig. 4, Sheet 1', is a detail elevation of the half-nut andconnected parts. Fig. 5, Sheet 2, is a detail front elevation of theguide-pieces forming the throat of I the hulling devices. 1

The same letters of reference are used t indicate identical parts in allthe figures.

Upon any suitable base A are mounted at one end the corn-propellingdevices and at the opposite end the corn hulling devices. The formerconsist of an upright B, through the upper forked end of which passes ahorizontal threaded shaft 0, driven by a crankhandle or by power. Thisshaft is engaged by a swinging half-nut a, Fig. 4, pivoted, as at b, andengaged by a tappet 0, fast upon a shaft D, parallel to the shaft 0. Theend of the shaft 0 is provided with a screw or other means for grippingor holding the butt of an ear of corn in linewith the shaft.

The hulling mechanism consists of a circular frame E, supported on legsF and having on its inner edge an annular groove (Z, into which openingsc, Fig. 2, on its front side are formed. The carrier for the hullingdevices is a ring G, having on its outer edge as many flanged lugs f asthere are openings 6, through which openings the lugs pass and bypartially turning the ring they enter the groove d to lock the ring tothe frame E after the manner of a bayonet-joint, as will be readilyunderstood.

Fast to and projecting at right angles from the inner edge of the ring Gon its forward side are three equidistant pins g, on which are pivotedthree bell-crank arms H, Whose inner ends carry inwardly and rearwardl yprojecting pins h, upon which are journaled presser-rollers I, Figs. 2and 3. These rollers are preferably of hard wood and have theirperipheries beveled or rounded off, as shown, and their inner inclinedfaces slightly dished. The short ends-of the bell-crank arms H havepivoted between their forked outer ends the threepinsJ,whose outer endsare normally confined in slots in three lugs K,projecting from the frameE on its forward side. Encircling each of the pins J, between loosecollarsrl j, are spiral springs 70. The collars 2' bear against the lugsK and the collars j against the short arms of the bell cranks 11, whilepassing through the outer ends of the pins J on the opposite sides ofthe lugs K are short stop-pins Z. The springs are normally under tensionand serve to hold the arms H and rollers J inward, the limit of inwardplay being determined by stop-shoulders m upon the inner ends of thehubs of the bell-cranks H bearing against the inner side of the ring G.Likewise pivoted upon the forwardlyprojecting ends of the pins g arethree equidistant forwardly and inwardly curved bell-crank arms L, whoseends terminate in three segmental guidepieces M, Fig. 5, arranged toapproximate an equilateral triangle and with their forward edges beveledor flaring. The inner short ends of the arms L extend back, as shown atn, Fig. 2, and rest against the short arms of the bell-crank H, wherethey are provided with pivoted pins 0, whose outer ends pass throughslots in lugs 10, projecting from the ring G. Spiral springs q undertension encircle the pins 0 between the lugs 19 and theends of thebellcrank arms and serve to hold the guide-pieces M in proper workingposition. Each of the guide-pieces M has projecting from the middle ofits rear side a lug N, in which is adjustably secured by means of aset-screw r ICO' any suitably-shaped knife 3, set in the path of thegrains of corn on the cob and between the pieces M and press-rolls I.

The shaft D is j ournaled through the frame E at one side and throughthe upper forked end of a bracket-arm t, Fig. 4:, projecting from theupright B. It has keyed or otherwise fast upon its end, just in rear ofthe frame E, a bell-crank-handle arm 0, provided at its upper end with aspring-dog to, engaging a segment-rack P, projecting from the frame E.The lower arm of the bell-crank 0 is forked and engages a pine, Fig. 3,upon the rear side of the ring G, so that by disengaging the dog a fromthe rack and vibrating the handle the ring G is partially rotated ineither direction. Pivoted upon pins iv, projecting from the upper rearside of the frame E, are two pendent arms Q, interlocked at their upperends by the teeth as and having at their lower ends engaging points y.The arm Q nearest the handle 0 is connected to the latter by a pivotedpin R, whose outer end passes through a slot in 2. lug .2 on the rearside of the handle. Encircling the pin R between loose collars a is aspiral spring I), and a stop-pin a is passed through the pin R on theopposite side of the lug .2, as seen in Fig. 3.

As in my prior patent referred to, the ear of corn carried by theshaftCis carried forward and rotated by said shaft. It first enters thethroat formed by the pieces M and comes under the action of the cuttersor knives s, which separate the meats from the hulls. It then passes onbetween the forward edges of the presser-rolls I, which are rotated bythe turning of the cob and which effectually press out the juice andmeats not removed by the knives 3. Any suitable receptacle is placedbeneath the hulling devices to receive the meats and juices, and whenthe butt of the cob has passed through the rollers I the handle 0 isdrawn toward the frame E, therebycausing the arms Q to grip the cob andat the same time, by the oscillation of the shaft D, causing thetappet-cto press upon the rear end of the half-nut and lift the same outof engagement with the shaft 0, which is then disengaged from the coband retracted to receive another unstripped cob. Upon pressing thehandle 0 out again the jaws Q are opened and drop the cob, and thehalf-nut is re-engaged by its own gravity with the shaft 0, and so onrepeatedly. By pressing the handle 0 outward and locking it in thenotches of the rack the springs are put under greater tension, therebyapplying greater pressing power to the rollers I, as will bereadily'understood. Sufficient lateral play is given the pins J topermit their outer ends to be disengaged from the lugs K, and uponsimilarly disengaging the pin R from the handle 0 the ring G can beturned to bring the lugs f opposite the openings 6, and then the ringwith all its connected parts can be lifted out for the purpose ofwashing the same and then be replaced and the pins .I and R bere-engaged, as before described.

Especial attention is called to the manner in which the rollers I areset, as seen more particularly in Figs. 2 and 3, so that only theirforward edges at the points 2 come in contact with the cob, for by thismanner of setting the rollers they can follow more closely theirregularities in the cob and more effectually press out the meats andjuices.

Having thus fully described my invention, I claim- I 1. In a machine forhulling green corn, the combination, with a propelling and rotatingshaft carrying the ear and non-revoluble cutters, of presser rollersengaging the cob and rotated by the same to press outthe adhering meatsand juices.

2. In a machine for hulling green corn, the combination, with apropelling and rotating shaft carrying the ear and non-revolublecutters, of presser-rollers under adjustable spring tension engaging thecob and rotated by the same to press out the meats and juices.

3. 111 a machine for hulling green corn, the combination, with apropelling and rotating shaft carrying the ear and non-revolublecutters, of presser-rollers engaging the cob rotated by the same and setat such an angle that only the edge of the rollers at one point engagethe cob to press out the adhering meats and juices.

4C. In a machine for hulling green corn, the cutting-knives andpresser-rollers secured to a rotating ring removably attached to astationary frame, whereby said ring and hulling devices may be removedbodily for the purpose of cleaning.

5. In a machine forhulling green corn, the combination, with astationary frame for the hulling devices, of a rotating ring engaged bysaid frame and carrying the hulling devices, springs for theresser-rollers of said hulling devices, and a lock-handle for partiallyrotating said ring and regulating the tension of said springs,substantially as de-

